


Salineas Special

by voidisa



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Bright Moon (She-Ra), Dorks in Love, Drinking, Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, F/F, First She-Ra fic, Fluff, No Angst, Party, Perfuma is pure, Pure, Scorpia is pure, i love these two so much, luau
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:14:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26334703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/voidisa/pseuds/voidisa
Summary: Mermista is hosting a luau, and Scorpia is terribly late. Perfuma gets worried and then decides to get drunk. Some feelings come out.
Relationships: Perfuma/Scorpia (She-Ra)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 46





	Salineas Special

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first She-Ra fanfic. I wasn't really sure about posting this because I don't necessarily think it's all that good, but I had fun writing it, so what the hell. I just adore these two.

Weather had been kind of weird lately. 

Perfuma was almost certain that it was only the end of summer, but the way that the blustery winds blew, it felt more like the tipping point between autumn and winter. All of the plants were withering and dying. Frost was forming on bare limbs. Her time had come and gone, and now she was entirely out of her element. 

Still, she had the little garden in the greenhouse that Glimmer had set up for her, and she and Scorpia had been tending to it regularly. Well, mostly her. Scorpia had the love and affection part of tending plants down, but she was still struggling to keep her flowers alive. Perfuma had been reviving them for her when she wasn't looking so she wouldn't be so sad. The beauty of it all always put a smile on Scorpia's face, and with her smile came that overwhelming tingling sensation in Perfuma's belly that she couldn't quite figure out. 

It was a crush, some would say. But she wasn't quite so sure. Her? With Scorpia? It didn't make any sense. 

With a sigh and a smile that she tried to never lose, she examined herself in the mirror, tugging at the itchy pink sweater that Glimmer had gifted her. She'd never had to wear a sweater in her life -- not in Plumeria, where it was always sunny and always warm. Now that Etheria was out of Despondos, things were a little different. The world was growing and changing. And with it, the weather. 

So why did Mermista insist on having a luau/bonfire when it was freezing outside? Perfuma had no idea. But she was going to go. It would be fun, after all. She'd been in and out of meetings in Bright Moon for the past month, and a break would be nice. 

"Hey!" someone shouted from the hall. Perfuma didn't even have time to turn around before the door cracked open in the middle, and Frosta emerged into the room, her ice-covered fists resting on her hips and a scowl on her face. 

"Frosta!" Perfuma exclaimed, staring at the remnants of her door on the floor. "This is the fifth time you've busted in here. I'm sure the Bright Moon guards are getting tired of having to clean up after you." 

Frosta shrugged, the disinterest clear on her face. "Sorry, just came to check and see if you were ready. Everyone is down in the courtyard. The party is in full swing." Her eyes were twinkling with excitement. 

Perfuma scanned over the small girl briefly and noted that, despite the cool weather, she was wearing a thin blue dress shirt with whales all over it and a pair of bright orange swim shorts, as well as a pair of sunglasses on top of her head and a vibrant lei around her neck. She'd never seen Frosta wear summery clothes, not even in summer. It just didn't fit her look. 

But sweaters didn't really fit Perfuma either. 

She tugged at the itchy material, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious. One sleeve fell off of her shoulder, exposing the tanned, freckled skin underneath. She offered a shy smile, pushing a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. 

"You look nice," she said. 

Frosta grumbled, her arms crossing tightly over her chest. "You don't have to lie to me, flower princess. I'm being forced to dress this way." 

"Someone forcing you?" Perfuma chuckled softly. "I didn't think anyone would have the guts. Still, I think it's a nice change for you. Change can be quite good sometimes." She stepped forward, closing the gap between her and Frosta, and placed a hand on her lei. "Can I?" 

Frosta nodded, and Perfuma felt the power swell at her fingertips as the artificial plants bloomed into full, beautiful hibiscus flowers. Their sweet, fragrant smell wafted through the air, and Perfuma closed her eyes, relishing in the feel of the slightest touch of summer. 

"Thank you," she whispered. 

Frosta raised an eyebrow. "You done being weird now? Come on, the others are waiting." 

Walking out of her quarters, Perfuma got a cold chill that traveled all the way up her spine and made her shudder. A few guards were scattered down the hallway, standing with weapons ready in front of doors that not even Perfuma was allowed to see behind. Most guards, however, were probably down at the luau, where Queen Glimmer and her father Micah were. There hadn’t really been any serious security threats in a long time. 

“Hi, Khalia!” Perfuma exclaimed, waving to one of the guards as they passed. “Hello, Lucian.” 

Frosta raised an eyebrow, the corner of her mouth curling into a smirk. “You know their names?” 

“Of course! Scorpia and I made sure to introduce ourselves to everyone when we knew we would be staying for a while. Don’t you think it’s rude to stay in someone’s home and not call them by name? Scorpia and I --” 

“You guys seem close.” 

Perfuma wrung her hands nervously in front of her and bit down on her bottom lip. There was that fluttery sensation in her belly again. It used to happen when she first met Bow and they went to Princess Prom together, but she quickly realized that she didn’t actually feel anything for him other than a deep longing for his friendship. She thought maybe it would be the same with Scorpia, but it had been months, and still the feeling hadn’t faded. Each day spent together was a brand new adventure. It was when she was the most at peace besides when she was meditating. They clicked on several different levels, and everything Scorpia did made Perfuma nearly burst with joy, like the flowers she so loved to see bloom. 

She cleared her throat, hoping that the blush on her cheeks wasn’t too obvious. “I’d say we’ve grown to be best friends.” 

Frosta clearly wasn’t listening to her. She kicked open the front door to the castle and darted out with a loud, angry battle cry. From the sidelines, Swift Wind tossed his mane back and shouted, “Princess Frosta of Snows!” as the young princess traipsed through the confused and startled onlookers, who had stopped their conversations to see what the uproar was about. 

“And Princess Perfuma of Plumeria!” Swift Wind announced as Perfuma followed after her, hands clasped in front of her and smiling sheepishly to each person she passed. A few waved, and some people bowed, but Perfuma had never been comfortable with people bowing to her. She tried to greet everyone by name, and if it was someone she did not recognize, she quickly introduced herself as simply Perfuma. Not Princess. They were all friends here, not subjects. 

A loud, obnoxious, exaggerated groan tore her attention away from the Bright Moon residents, and she turned her head, frowning slightly, to see that Mermista had appeared by her side, rubbing her temples as if she had a headache coming on. 

“I told him not to announce everyone like that,” Mermista said, her shoulders sagging forward. Despite the cold weather, she was even more scantily clad than Frosta -- wearing nothing but a turquoise bikini top and a matching skirt that fell to her mid-thigh. A gaudy, artificial lei adorned her neck. Perfuma wasn’t a violent person, but the fake flowers made her want to commit a crime. 

“What can you do? He’s Swift Wind,” Perfuma said with a shrug. She was probably one of the only people who wasn’t totally annoyed by the talking horse. “Hey, aren’t you cold? It’s freezing out here.” 

Mermista looked around, as if she could somehow see this “cold” that Perfuma was referencing. She had a belly button ring, Perfuma noticed. A tiny sapphire seashell. “Whatever. It’s probably because the sun is always shining in Plumeria. Now what should we do about the horse?” 

“I --” Perfuma scanned the area, noting Entrapta in her regular clothes, tinkering with the machine that was casting rainbow lights over the courtyard. Hordak and Wrong Hordak sat close beside her, shifting uncomfortably like they weren’t quite sure what they were doing here. Catra and Adora sat together on a makeshift beach, sprawled across a towel spread out over the sand and sipping drinks from a coconut shell. In the middle of the courtyard, large logs were piled up for them to light. Huntara and a few of her Crimson Waste friends were here, seated together next to what was going to be the fire, wearing sunglasses and leis and lounging lazily underneath blow-up palm trees that disgusted Perfuma more than the fake flowers. 

She tried to tell herself that she wasn’t looking for anyone or anything in particular, but she knew that wasn’t quite true.

“Have you seen Scorpia?” she asked. 

“Ugh.” Mermista rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. “Why don’t you guys just like, date or whatever? You obviously like each other --” 

“That’s not --” Perfuma shook her head. A few strands of curly hair broke loose and dusted across her forehead. She shivered. “No. I don’t... and she doesn’t --” 

“Sea Hawk, no!” Mermista screamed suddenly, running away toward the bonfire area as she waved her arms frantically in the air. “What did I tell you? No! Give me the match! Give it!” 

Perfuma sighed. Parties had always been fun to her. Flitting about the room and socializing with everyone had always been so invigorating, but tonight, she just felt a deeply-rooted disappointment taking over her. What sort of party was this if she couldn’t spend it with the person she wanted to be with most? 

Her best friend. Scorpia. 

At some point amidst all the chaos, the bonfire was lit, and flames stretched up into the darkening sky like hands wishing to pluck the stars from above them. Most of the partygoers abandoned their little cliques spread out across the courtyard, instead joining together as one big group of friends, as Perfuma and the other princesses had always intended. Several couples snuggled on blankets, bathed in golden light from the fire, while children stood by roasting marshmallows on sticks. As Perfuma settled in beside Netossa and Spinnerella, relishing in the warmth that the flames brought, a few of the children from Elberon made their way over to her, giggling and nudging each other as if trying to urge one another to speak. 

Finally, one of the children -- a pink-haired child with wide, curious purple eyes -- asked, “Are you the flower princess?” 

Perfuma chuckled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “I am! What can I do for you tonight?” 

Another child stepped forward, feeling bolder now, and asked, “Could you braid our hair with flowers?” 

“Of course I can! I’m so glad you asked! And while we’re on the subject…” She touched the child’s lei, and the flowers bloomed into beautiful, vibrant shades of blues and oranges. The children gaped at her as if she had just performed some incredible feat worthy of She-Ra level worship, and she smiled at them, moving over to make room as they fought one another for the first spot. 

Scorpia would have enjoyed being here, Perfuma decided. She would braid flowers into the children’s hair, and Scorpia would pick them up and fly them around like airplanes while they waited their turn. 

Where was she, anyway? She never missed opportunities to spend time with her friends. She never missed opportunities to spend time with Perfuma. 

Someone nudged her shoulder, and she looked to the side to see Netossa and Spinnerella watching her, Netossa with that sly smirk on her face like she knew a particularly juicy secret, Spinnerella with a muted look of concern. 

“Something bothering you?” Netossa asked. “And don’t lie. I can tell.” 

Perfuma shook her head, forcing herself to keep the smile on her face. “I’m just cold, that’s all.” 

“Here, this’ll warm you up,” Netossa said, handing over a coconut shell with a little orange umbrella sticking out of the top of it. “It’s something Mermista brought from Salineas. I haven’t had any yet, but…” She pointed discreetly to Glimmer, who seemed to think she was having a dance contest against a passed-out Kyle. Bow stood behind her, shaking his head and trying to hold back laughter. “That’s after two drinks, and Glimmer’s no lightweight. I’m curious to see what happens to you.” 

Perfuma stared down at the dark blue liquid and swirled it around in the coconut. Sighing, she placed it beside her and continued with her task of braiding hair. She hardly ever drank, and when she did, it was only a simple mead or wine that the Plumerian residents made for her. Anything else threw her off her balance. 

“Thank you, Netossa,” she said, “but I think the fire is working wonders. Hey, you haven’t happened to see Scorpia around, have you?” 

“I saw her heading toward the Whispering Woods earlier today,” Spinnerella replied. “I’m not really sure what she was doing, though. She had her luau clothes on, so I assume she was planning on coming back for the party.” 

Perfuma’s heart felt like it had dropped into her stomach, and her hands froze mid-braid in the child’s hair. The flower she’d just created was crumbling in on itself and dying. Quickly, she tried to fix the problem before anyone noticed, but Netossa was faster and very observant. She placed her hand on Perfuma’s arm and said, “I’m sure she’s fine. Don’t worry. She’ll probably show up any minute.” 

“Y-yeah,” Perfuma replied, forcing herself to speak against the lump in her throat. “Right. She’s fine.” 

But what if she wasn’t? Etheria had been peaceful ever since defeating Horde Prime, but that didn’t mean that there wasn’t still something out there trying to ruin their lives. After all they’d been through, why would Scorpia roam into the Whispering Woods by herself? What made her think that was a good idea? 

She was just like Perfuma in so many ways, which irritated Perfuma more than she cared to admit. She wouldn’t necessarily think of herself as “good”; they all had darkness inside of them. But oftentimes, she made careless errors trying to do things on her own for the sake of her friends, and Scorpia was no different. Perfuma had no doubt in her mind that Scorpia was doing something for someone else. And if she got herself harmed in the process…

She couldn’t bear to think about it. 

“All done!” Perfuma announced, adding the final bit of white flowers to the small boy’s hair. “You look very pretty! Who’s next?” 

The remaining children fought for her attention and services, and she calmed them, assuring them that they would each get a turn. As she continued her braiding and flower-making, more children appeared, begging to have flower crowns made for them too. Perfuma didn’t mind; serving others was what she did best. And besides, it kept her mind off of Scorpia. 

But when she ran out of children, all she could do was sit alone while Netossa and Spinnerella danced, staring glumly into the fading flames while trying to pretend that everything was alright. Because that’s who she was: summery, sweet, warm, and kind. Life never got her down. She had to be the one to spread positivity, to lift her friends’ spirits. 

But who was there to lift her up when she was down? They all had their own worries, their own lives. 

Scorpia would know what to say. She always did. 

She glanced beside her at the coconut cup, still sitting untouched. It smelled like it was pure alcohol with just the slightest touch of blueberries, and she thought that one sip of this monstrous concoction would probably kill her. But hey, it was a party. So maybe she should just break free and try to have a good time, Scorpia or no Scorpia. 

She raised the cup to her lips, nearly gagging at the strong, bitter scent that filled her nostrils. Maybe if she didn’t have to taste it, then things would be better. Plugging her nose, she quickly downed as much of the liquid as she could, careful not to let it touch her tongue on the way down. It still stung, though, and it left her mouth tingling and her eyes watering as she retched, hoping that it didn’t come back up. Her stomach and her throat were on fire, as if the very flames in front of her had reached inside and started tearing her apart. There was only a little bit left in the cup. Discarding the umbrella, she forced the rest of it down with a grunt of displeasure. It was mostly pure alcohol, she decided. But it tasted like saltwater too. And maybe pineapple. 

“Ah, the Salineas Special!” Sea Hawk exclaimed, appearing beside her so suddenly that she nearly jumped out of her own skin. “A brave soul, you are. You truly can handle your drink. My dear Mermista -- why, she challenged me to a drinking contest one night and blew me right out of the water. She is amazing, is she not? Far higher in my heart than the Seven Seas --” 

“Do you have any more of this?” She held the coconut out to him, waving it around in his face. It was probably selfish of her, and a bit inconsiderate, but she could practically see hearts in Sea Hawk’s eyes when he spoke of her friend, and romance and love were making her sick right now. She’d rather be sick on something else. 

Sea Hawk blinked, confusion written on his face as if he didn’t quite recognize Perfuma, and maybe he didn’t. She certainly felt different tonight. “Yes, of course,” he replied. “One moment.” 

Perfuma stared into the flames. She couldn’t comprehend this feeling in her gut, this burning sensation coupled with the alcohol. Maybe it was shame, regret, embarrassment, but these were all such foreign concepts to her, and why should she be embarrassed, even if she did have a crush on Scorpia? Everyone thought that they should date; they’d made it clear several times. And what had she done instead of appeasing her own desires? She and Scorpia both had danced around the notion of a relationship, laughing nervously and waving people off, claiming that they were merely friends. 

But being friends with Scorpia didn’t feel the same as being friends with Mermista. Or Adora. Or Glimmer. Being friends with Scorpia was...well, it was strange. When she went to bed at night, she dreamed of Scorpia’s face. She thought of what it might be like if the two of them shared the same room, slept in the same bed, how it would feel to be tangled in Scorpia’s arms as she peacefully drifted off into sleep. She often looked at her in the garden and wondered what it might be like if they were to hold hands, if Scorpia were to push her hair out of her face and kiss her unabashedly on the forehead while they held each other close. She thought of the time they danced when they were searching for Prince Peekablue, and she craved that closeness once again every single time she even so much as thought of Scorpia. 

But what if saying that out loud ruined everything? She liked what they had, even if it wasn’t exactly what she wanted. And losing it might tip her over the edge.   
“Here you go, Your Majesty,” Sea Hawk said, handing a refilled coconut to Perfuma as he bowed to her. “One Salineas Special for you.” 

She rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless as she accepted the drink from him. She hated being called “Your Majesty.” She was a princess, after all, not a queen like Glimmer. She hesitated, staring down at the blue liquid before her, and then slowly she wrapped her arms around Sea Hawk’s neck and pulled him into a warm embrace as tears filled her eyes. Her head was fuzzy. She was feeling a little bit buzzed.

“Thank you, Sea Hawk,” she said through the tears. “You’re such a wonderful friend. Mermista is so lucky to have you.” 

Sea Hawk spluttered for a second, obviously unsure how to respond to this. Perfuma figured that he didn’t get very many compliments like that, but he deserved to. He was wonderful. “You’re very welcome, Princess Perfuma!” he exclaimed. “Please let me know if I can do anything else for you. Perhaps you would like to hear a sea shanty?” 

“Oh, yes! Please!” 

Sea Hawk broke into song as Perfuma gulped down her second drink, feeling the burn more now than she did before. Her limbs were starting to feel heavy as she clapped and sang along to Sea Hawk’s brilliant number. At some point Swift Wind and Bow joined him, and somehow, another drink was placed into Perfuma’s hands. It was gone more easily than the first two, and by this point, she knew without a doubt that she was drunk. 

As she staggered to her feet, she gazed at the world around her, her eyes surely alight with wonder. Stars. They had stars now. And even if she had stared at them every single night since the defeat of Horde Prime, they still amazed her to this day. Etheria amazed her. Everything was amazing. Everything. Including Catra. 

Without even thinking, Perfuma meowed at Catra as she passed by her, and Catra turned to look at her, one eyebrow raised and a look of annoyed rage crossing her face. Perfuma covered her mouth, gasping and hiccupping, and the rage slowly melted away from Catra, replaced by an all-knowing smirk. 

“Oh, man, you’re drunk,” Catra said, taking a step closer to her as she studied her. Perfuma giggled, closing the gap between them as she rubbed in between Catra’s ears with a gentle smile, smoothing out her fluffy hair in the process. Catra’s eyes widened briefly, then narrowed in contentment as she began to purr. 

“Ha! You’re so cute!” Perfuma exclaimed, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. She quickly wiped them away as she continued to pet Catra’s hair. “You’re just the cutest, fluffiest little kitty --”   
“Okay, that’s enough,” Catra said, shoving her away. Her tail bristled and swished angrily from side to side. “I’m not cute, and you can’t just --” 

“Dance with me, Catra.” 

Catra’s hands balled into fists at her sides. She was wearing a red tropical shirt with yellow pineapples on it, Perfuma realized. It was cute, cute, cute. She wondered what Scorpia’s luau outfit looked like, if it was something like this or closer to Mermista’s. She found herself blushing at the thought and looked away from Catra quickly. Suddenly she didn’t feel so cold anymore. She stripped her sweater off, tossing it to the side, and giggled as she took Catra’s hand in hers and led her to the makeshift dance floor, where other couples were already swaying to the sound of the ukulele and Sea Hawk’s song. Entrapta had programmed a machine to make noises like waves crashing onto the shore. 

Why Mermista hadn’t just had the party on the beach in Salineas, Perfuma could not understand. But this was fun too. 

“Uh, I should probably get back to Ado--” Catra started to say, but Perfuma interrupted her, leading her into a dip. 

“ADORA! Is it okay for me to borrow your tiny, angry girlfriend for a minute?”

Adora was lounging in a heated pool that Mermista had created next to the sandy beach, drinking a fruity drink with a tiny umbrella while teleported in and out of the water next to her, stumbling and cackling with each movement. Adora shrugged, her sunglasses shielding her eyes. The lights Entrapta controlled were now yellow and emulating the sun. It was growing warmer by the second. 

“Just be sure to give her back,” Adora said. 

Perfuma nodded, twirling Catra around the dance floor. She had no idea why she had the urge to dance with her. Maybe because she never really imagined a day where she could be friends with a Force Captain from the former Horde. Especially someone like Catra. And besides Perfuma, Catra was the one who knew Scorpia the best. If anyone knew something, it would be her. 

“So someone is missing from the party,” she said, swaying to the lazy beat of the island song. “Have you noticed?” 

Catra’s lips quirked up into a tiny smirk. “Yeah, I have. Where is she? I thought you guys were like attached at the hip or something.” 

Perfuma shrugged. “I guess so, sometimes. But I haven’t seen her since yesterday, and I’m starting to worry. What if something got her? What if...what if...oh no, what if I did something to push her away?” She pulled away from Catra, collapsing into tears. She had forgotten to say goodnight last night, she remembered. Oh, what if Scorpia thought she hated her? 

“Relax, princess,” Catra said, taking Perfuma’s hand and guiding her into another dance. “I’m sure everything’s alright. And if it isn’t, then I’ll help you find her, okay?” 

Perfuma sniffled, offering Catra a weak, watery smile. “Thanks. You’re a really good friend, you know. I’m glad we met.” She placed a hand on Catra’s head, and a pink flower bloomed behind her ear.

Catra rolled her eyes. “Look, just because you’re drunk doesn’t mean you get to start getting all emotional --ahh!” She leaped up so high in the air that Perfuma could have sworn she was taking flight, and she stared in wonder and horror as she staggered backward and Catra scrambled across the now wet courtyard to the safety of the sand. Perfuma glanced down at her feet, ankle deep in warm water, and then looked back up at Catra. 

Catra smiled at her, pointing to something behind her, but before Perfuma could turn to see what it was, two thick, muscular arms wrapped around her tiny waist and hoisted her up off the ground, pressing her so hard into a broad chest that she could hardly breathe. 

She let out a sigh of relief, wriggling against the claws that held tight to her waist, and closed her eyes, breathing in the scent of lavender and honeysuckle. That was what Scorpia had smelled like every single day since they started gardening together. It was a warm, familiar, comforting scent, and Scorpia was warm. Scorpia was like coming home. 

As she dropped back to her feet, however, all of the worry that she’d been feeling all night manifested into anger, and she rounded on her, hands on her hips, ready to let loose and tell her just how badly she’d frightened her. 

The sight of Scorpia, though, rendered her speechless, and for a long several seconds that felt like years, all she could do was stare. Scorpia was dressed in a long, sleeveless purple sundress that nearly swept the ground and was decorated with white flowers. It was perfect to show off her broad, muscular shoulders, which Perfuma adored looking at. She always imagined running her fingers over the flexed muscles there, savoring the way they shifted underneath her touch. 

But Scorpia would never let her touch her that way. 

“Perfuma? Everything okay?” Scorpia asked. Her cheeks were dusted a slight rosy pink, Perfuma noticed, and she couldn’t quite meet her eyes. 

“Y-yeah,” Perfuma replied, pulling her hair in front of her face in hopes of hiding her own blush. “I was just worried about you.” She studied Scorpia for a beat longer. Her hair was combed back differently tonight, and she’d applied a thick layer of eyeliner around her dark, beautiful eyes. The flower crown that Perfuma had made her days earlier, still just as lovely and vibrant as before, was perched on top of her head. 

Scorpia frowned, running a claw through her pale hair. “Gosh, sorry, Perfuma. I didn’t mean to worry you. I went out to get some berries for the baking projects you wanted to do this week. Ooh, and I found some flowers that I thought you might want to replant in the garden. I’m so sorry.” 

“Hmph.” Perfuma crossed her arms over her chest, trying to feign disappointment and not stare too much, but she really couldn’t help herself. Scorpia’s close proximity was already making all of the worries of the night fade away. She wanted to hold on to her and never let her go, to tell her how much she meant to her. Instead, she ended up saying, “Just because I worry about you doesn’t mean I like like you.” 

Scorpia took a step back, clearly startled by the statement. “I know. We’re just friends, and --” 

“But you do look really good in that dress.” Perfuma wiggled her eyebrows suggestively and giggled as she traced a finger over Scorpia’s claw. “Really, really good.” She stumbled forward, hiccupping, and collapsed against Scorpia’s chest, shivering. The cold had found its way into her bones again, and she couldn’t remember where she’d put her sweater. All she had left to clothe her was a thin tank top and a pair of green pants.

“Geez, you’re really cold, Perfuma,” Scorpia said, wrapping her arms around Perfuma’s thin frame so that she wouldn’t fall. And she was getting close to falling. Her limbs felt like they didn’t quite belong to her, and she was just a noodle existing in a human body. Her vision was doubling too. Every once in a while it seemed like there were two Scorpias wavering right in front of her, moving as if she was made out of water. “Have you been drinking?” 

“A tiny bit,” Perfuma said, her voice coming out as a squeak. She sighed, enjoying the way that Scorpia’s arms felt twisted around her, warm and solid, and she twined her smaller arms around Scorpia’s waist, guiding her into a slow sway. It wasn’t the first time they’d danced together, but it lit her on fire with feelings that she had been trying to suppress since the first time they were this close. 

Everyone else got their happy ever after. Why shouldn’t she? 

“Should I get you a jacket?” Scorpia asked. “I’ll run up to the castle right quick and --” 

“You’re so nice, Scorpia,” Perfuma said, shuddering in her arms as she rested her head against her chest. “So kind and compassionate and so full of love. All those muscles are just filled with lots and lots of love.” She giggled and poked at the muscles on Scorpia’s arms, then stumbled backward and nearly landed on the ground, but Scorpia caught her in time. The water was rising just slightly, and it felt warm against her skin. But not as warm as Scorpia. 

“Aww, you’re so drunk!” Scorpia exclaimed with a chuckle. “It’s cute. Your face is all flushed, and uh…” She scratched her head, biting down on her lip nervously, then managed a smile. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of you.” 

“You’re so wonderful! And talented. Gosh, you’re so talented, Scorpia! Sing me a song?” 

“Uh...okay, I can try to improvise. The stars look nice in your beautiful eyes --” 

Perfuma suddenly burst into tears for what felt like the tenth time that night, collapsing into the water with a splash as she buried her face in her hands. “I was -- just so -- worried -- about you,” she said through the sniffles and sobs. “I was afraid -- you wouldn’t -- come back.” 

“I know, I know,” Scorpia said in soft, soothing tones as she crouched down next to her, her claw brushing a strand of messy hair away from Perfuma’s shoulder. “But I’m here now. I didn’t mean to worry you. I just wanted to make this week the best week it could be.” 

Perfuma peeked through her fingers at the woman crouched in front of her, and slowly, she removed her hands from her face so she could get a proper look at her. Her dark eyes twinkled with delight, and her mouth curled up into a slight smile that brightened all of her features. She was so pretty that it was unfair. It made Perfuma’s gut twist with love every time that she looked at her. 

“Every week is the best week with you,” Perfuma told her. “Every day is a brand new adventure. I…” She hesitated, but the words wouldn’t stop from rising in her throat and rolling off her tongue, and before her mind could even catch up with what she was doing, she said, “I lied before when I said I didn’t like like you. I like like you a lot. Like, a lot a lot. So much that even getting drunk wouldn’t get you off my mind, and all I could think about was --” 

Before she could finish, Scorpia’s lips crashed onto hers, kissing her with such passion and force that she fell backward into the water and Scorpia landed on top of her. She pulled away from her for a brief moment, breathing heavily, startled by the sudden reaction, then made eye contact with Scorpia, and they both burst into laughter. 

“You kissed me,” Perfuma said, touching her lips lightly with the tips of her fingers. They were tingling with electricity, it seemed. Her whole body was humming with the sounds of the universe, with everything falling perfectly into place. 

“Yeah, I did,” Scorpia said, her voice barely above a whisper. She was so close to Perfuma now, close enough to touch, to kiss. Perfuma couldn’t stop staring at her mouth, the way her hair was falling just above her eyes and brushing against her pale skin. She no longer felt cold. “Uh...I mean...sorry, was that too forward? Gosh, I didn’t mean to --” 

“Scorpia!” Perfuma exclaimed, grabbing the front of the other woman’s dress and pulling her forward, their lips crashing into each other once again. This time it was Scorpia’s turn to be startled, to freeze up as Perfuma’s lips moved against hers, her hands wrapping around her neck and fingers rushing through her hair. Perfuma felt Scorpia groan into her mouth as she tugged at her hair, and she couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her lips, granting Scorpia easier access to the inside of her mouth. She giggled at the feel of the other woman’s tongue brushing up against hers, and after a few seconds, she tilted her head back and laughed. She was crying again, but this time, it was good tears. 

“What? What is it? Did I do something wrong?” Scorpia asked, her eyes widening in fear. “Did I hurt you?” 

“No,” Perfuma replied, shaking her head. “No, I just...I’ve been wanting to do that for so long!” 

Scorpia shrugged, laughing a little as she pressed another kiss to Perfuma’s cheek. “I guess that’s why they call alcohol liquid courage, huh?” 

Perfuma nodded, sitting up and cupping Scorpia’s face in her hands as she drew her into another long kiss. She kissed so warmly, so gently, like she was afraid that if she got too rough, she would hurt her. It was sweet, really, but Perfuma couldn’t help herself longing for more. She kissed her feverishly, ferociously, trying to make up for all of the time they had lost with each other because they were both so insecure of their own feelings. 

“I’m sorry that it took so long,” she whispered against Scorpia’s skin. 

“Don’t worry about it,” Scorpia said with a chuckle that rumbled heartily through her chest. “We’ve got the rest of our lives to be together.” 

The water churned around them like a whirlpool was about to open up, and they pulled apart to see Mermista standing before them, arms crossed over her chest and a sour expression on her face. The other princesses stood behind her, some of them smiling, others giving a thumbs-up. Bow looked like he was about to faint. 

“Ugh, finally,” Mermista said. “You two were taking _forever_.” 

“You guys all knew?” Scorpia asked. 

“Uh, yeah!” Catra exclaimed. “You guys won’t shut up about each other. It’s...kind of cute, actually.” 

“Aww, thanks, Catra!” Scorpia exclaimed, taking Perfuma’s hand in her claw. It felt right, being this close. 

And to think that they had gone all these months being blind to something that everyone else could so clearly see. All it had taken was a little bit of the Salineas Special.

**Author's Note:**

> Did you hate it? Let me know!


End file.
